Condiment holder or container



Dec. 20, 1932. MADIGAN 1,891,824

CONDIMENT HOLDER OR CONTAINER Filed Dec. 5, 1931 a ,Ak m

Tim/was J. Ma digcm,

Patented Dec. 20, 1932 UNITED STATES PAT" oFrrcE THOMAS J. MADIGAN, on NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF T0 FRED AUERBACH,

on NEW YORK, N. Y. a

CONDIMENT HOLDER OR CONTAINER Application filed December 3, 193 1. Serial'No. 578,780.

This invention relates to commodity containers or holders and particularly to con-.

dimentholders such as a holder for salt, par,- ticularly of the shaker variety.

In the use of commodity holders or containers, particularly holders or containers for salt, a corrosion takes place between parts composed ofmetal, resulting in unsatisfactoryoperation of the shaker and causing a contamination which is unsightly and sometimes diflicult to remove.

Another object resides in the provision of a simple, inexpensive, durable and efficient condiment holder embodying means whereby the contents of the holder may be effectively shielded against the action of moisture and wherein the holder, even when inverted, will prevent the effective discharge of the contents from the, holder, unless the holder is shaken and'in which the contents are emitted from the holder preferably through a single orifice.

A still further object is to provide a condiment holder adapted particularly for the distribution of salt for table use and wherein the parts are readily assembled orrdisassembled andiwherein the parts are composed of such materials as to obviate possibility of corrosion incident to galvanic action, thereby eliminating possibility of sticking of parts to interfere with an effective discharge of salt under the influence of a shaking action of the holder.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out particularly in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, proportion, size and materials without departing from the spirit of the invention as set up inthe appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing,

' Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention; 7

Figure 2 is a view partly in vertical longitudmal section and partly 1n elevation, showing the holder in normal upright position; 7

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing the holder in the inverted position; and Figure 4: is a transverse sectional view on the line 44 of Figure 2. 1

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing, the reference character 5 indicates the body of the container which may taper as illustrated or which may be otherwise formed, but, in any event, preferably provided with a reduced portion afl'ording a neck 6 and a resultant shoulder 7 the neck 6 being preferably exteriorly screw threaded as shown particularly in Figures 2 and 3. This holder 5 may be formed of glass or any othersuitable material, preferably glass or cellophane, as shown.

The body '5 of the holder or containeris provided with a head or cap of unique form, consisting preferably of two parts, an interiorly tapering collar 8 and a hollow exteriorly tapering head 9 having its chamber 10 communicating byway of an opening 11 H which establishes communication between the hollow or chambered head 9 and the interior of the body 5 through the sleeve 8 as clearly V illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the opening 11 being surrounded by an annular shoulder forming a seat 12, the inner end of the hollow head 9 having a secondannular seat 13, the seats being for a purpose presently explained. The hollow head 9 being exteriorly tapered, c

hold the head from accidental disconnection O cated at 14.

with the collar 8. The collar 8 and head 9 are preferably formed of glass or cellophane, but may be formed of other suitable material and while they are shown as formed of separate parts, it will be understood that it is within the scope of the present invention to form these two parts of a single piece of glass, cellophane, or other suitable material. In any event, that is, irrespective of the manner of forming the collar 8 and the head 9, the collar 8 is preferably interiorally threaded atits inneror maj or end so that it may have working screw threaded fit with the exterior threads of the neck 6 of the body 5, as indi- These threads between the collar 8 and the neck 6 are such as to preferably permit the inner end of the collar 8 to be positioned more or less tightly on the shoulder 7, as illustrated.

A double-acting valve is slidably suspended from the head 9 and consists preferably of a glass, cellophane, or other stem 15 provided with a suitable valve 16 at its inner end and at its outer end having a valve 17 of conical or any other suitable shape.

The stem 15 and head 16 are preferably formed of one piece of suitable material, preferably glass or cellophane, but the valve 1'? is preferably formed of compressible and expansible material, such for instance, as cork, and is preferably conical or tapered asv shown so that, under the influence of a steaming or other action, it may be softenedand thereby readily forced through the opening 11 and when dried out, expand and effectively provide a valve calculated to fit properly on the seat 12 of the chamber so as to exclude moisture from the container through the discharge orifice 18. The stem 15 being slidable in the opening 11, the valve 17 may be readily unseated from the seat 12 topermit discharge of the salt or other commodity from the container when the container isinverted as when in table use. In other words, by inverting the container or holder, the valve 17 will, by

gravity, leave the seat 12 and incident to the weight of the valve stem and the valves, the valve 16 will become: seated upon the seat 13 and when thus seated, the valve 16 will prevent the dischar e of the salt or other commodity even when the holder or container is inverted, requiring a shaking action to effect a discharge of the commodity through the orifice 18 of the head 9. The moment that'the shaking action ceases, with the holder or container inverted, the valve 16. takes its seat and prevents further discharge of the contents of the holder or container. It will be noted further that the single orifice 18 is sufficient for all useful purposes for table use and that the interior of the chamber 10 is such as to cause gravitati-ng movement of the salt centrally of the chamber to the discharge orifice 18, obviating the necessity of the formation of a plurality of discharge orifices, The head and collar, whether formed of a single piece of material or formed as illustrated and specifically described, may be utilized not only in connection with the present body 5 but by reason of a more or less universal employment of bodies provided with necks, threaded exteriorally, my improved head and collar structure is such as to be readily used in connection with manufactured forms of bodies of containers of the presentcharacter, thereby enabling the displacement of many common discharge nozzles'provided with numerous perforationsor otherwise formed, substituting my improved head and collar for these old discharge types of nozzles. V i.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I provide a highly ornamental type of holder or container for the purposes specified, and from which liquids or solutions may be contained and discharged as well as peppers, salts, spices, etc, and while. 11am not herein claimingany particular design or ornamentation, I do desire to notethat the structure is such as to provide for an effective discharge of salt, pepper, spice, powder, and liquids in a single stream, as distinguished from a spreading of the commodity or material incident to the use of a plurality of discharge openings and that the structure effectively cuts as communication between the body of the holder or container and the discharge end thereof whether the holder or container stands upright or is inverted and thatthe discharge is effected only undera shaking action of the holder or container.

, What is claimed is: f i

- 1. A condiment dispenser comprising a body portion provided with an exteriorl'y threaded neck, a closure for the body portionincluding a collar having an interiorly threaded portion for. threaded fit withsaid threaded neck and ahead secured within the collar at the outer end of the latter and having a chamber provided with a discharge. orifice and also having an opening ali ning with said discharge orifice, and a double acting valve device normally suspended from said headand operable under the influence of gravity to close the last mentioned opening whereby to exclude moisture from the interior of the body and to prevent discharge of the material from the body whether the dispenser stands in normal position orbe inverted, and permitting discharge of the contents through such opening into the chamber of the head for passage-through the discharge orifice only under the influence of a shaking action of the dispenser.

2A condiment dispenser, comprising a hollow body provided with. an exteriorly threaded neck, a closure for the body including a collar having a tapering interior and having its inner end interiorly threaded for threaded; fit with said neck, and an exteriorly tape 'ing head having tight fit within the iii-- terior tapering walls of the collar, said head being hollow and having a discharge orifice and an opening which establishes communication between the chamber and the interior of the body, and a valve device position with relation to said opening to eflect a normal closing of the communication between the chamber and the interior of the body through said opening.

3. A condiment dispenser, comprising a hollow body provided with an exteriorly threaded neck portion at one end, a closure for the body including a neck engaging section having an interiorly threaded portion for threaded fit with said exteriorly threaded neck portion of the body, and a head operatively connected with said collar and having a chamber therein and provided with a discharge orifice leading from said chamber and also provided with an opening to efi'ect communication between the chamber and the hollow body, and a valve device for normally closing such communication between the chamber and the hollow body and operable under the influence of a shaking movement of the dispenser to establish communication between the chamber and the hollow body to efi'ect a discharge of the content-sot the body into the chamber and through said discharge orifice.

4. A condiment dispenser, comprising a hollow body, a closure for the body having detachable connection therewith and including a collar and a head provided with a chamber, the head having a discharge orifice leading from the chamber thereof and an opening to establish communication leading from the body to the chamber within th head, and a device for normally maintaining closed the communication between said chamher and the body but which device is operable to establish communication between the chamber and the body under the influence of a shaking action of the holder or container.

5. A condiment dispenser, comprising a body provided with a tapered exteriorly threaded neck, a tapered interiorly threaded collar having threaded fit with said neck, an exteriorly tapered head secured within the interiorly tapered collar and having a chamber therein provided with a single discharge orifice disposed centrally thereof and in line with the longitudinal axis of the holder or container and also provided with an opening aligning with the discharge orifice to ei'lect communication between the ohamberof the head and the body. and a double acting valve operable to maintain the passage through the said opening closed whether the dispenser stands upright or be inverted and operable under the influence of a shaking action of the dispenser to efiect passage of the contents of the body through such opening into the chamber for subsequent discharge through said orifice in a single stream.

.6. A holder or container of the character -described,-comprising a body, a collar having screw threaded engagement with the body, a head secured to the collar and provided with achamber having a dischargeorific'e at its outer end and also provided with hn openingto e'stablishlcommunication between the chamber and the interior of the body, and avalve including a stem and spaced valve members, operable'alternately to close the passage afiorded by said opening between exteriorly tapering chamberedhead, the 001- lar having at its inner or major end an interiorly threaded section adapted to engage an exteriorly threaded neck portion of a hollow body of a salt cellar or the like, the head being constructed so that it is assembled in place by being inserted into and through the major end of the internally tapered collar and by being subsequently moved in an outward direction .until a tight fit is effected between the interiorly tapering collar on the one hand and the'hollow exteriorly tapering head on the other, said head having a chambered portion and provided with a discharge opening leading outwardly from the chamber of the head to the exterior of the head and also being provided withan inlet opening leading from the inner or body side of the head into and to the chamber within the head and a double acting valve associated with said head and arranged to obstruct flow through the inlet opening into the chamber of the head when the outer end of the cap is down and also arranged to normally" close the inlet opening when the outer end of the cap is u'p but which functions to allow the passage through the inlet opening when the cap memher is subjected to a shaking action.

8. A cap construction as defined in the claim last preceding in which the double acting valvecomprises a valve member having a valve and a stem of non-yielding material and a valve of compressible and expansible material arranged with the non-yielding valve located on the inner'or body side of the chamberedhead and with the stem passing inwardly and through the inlet opening leading to the chamber of the head and with the valve of compressible and expansible material located within the chamber of the head and affixed to the end of the stem that is in the chamber, the inlet opening and the discharge opening of the chamber head each being smaller than the Valve of compressible and eXpa-nsible material and the cap being constructed so that the valve member of compressible and expansib'le material is inserted in place Within the chamber only by being compressed and passed through the: inlet opening of said head but so that after having thus been introduced it can be expanded sufficiently to functionas a valve.

In testimony whereof: I have hereunto set myhand, this 1st day of December, 1931.

THOMAS J. MADIGAN. 

